


only you

by wilfre



Series: my one and only you [1]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Marijuana, Nonbinary Character, Other, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-02 12:12:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16786723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilfre/pseuds/wilfre
Summary: as pyro grows closer to engineer, they find themself falling for him. unbeknownst to them, engineer is starting to experience the same feelings.





	1. Chapter 1

They noticed, and they sure as hell appreciated it.

Mumbles, monster, freak, abomination; they’d heard it all. It mostly came from members of the opposite team, but their own coworkers teased them as well. Definitely more lightheartedly, sure, but the team still harbored the slightest bit of contempt towards them.

When Engineer started calling them ‘son’ in a non-condescending way, they could’ve cried in relief.

It started after a battle; a victory for their team. Scout and Demoman whooped and hollered in celebration all the way back to base. Soldier, Medic, and Heavy followed suit, with Spy trailing behind in a more dignified fashion. Sniper stalked off to his van, leaving only Engineer and Pyro. They decided to help him pack up his buildings and tools, feeling a bit ostracized from the rest of the group. Once everything was all loaded up, Engineer hoisted his toolbox up on his shoulder, giving Pyro a pat on the back with his free hand.

“Nice work out there today, son.”

Their heart fluttered then, and it only continued to dance each time he repeated it.

Eventually, the rest of the team warmed up to them as well. Pyro traded lonely ceasefire afternoons in their room for hanging out with Scout, whom they had recently befriended. He was right alongside Pyro on the maturity level. It was a good match.

The two of them were reading comics in the living room when there was a polite knock on the doorframe.

“Hey, sorry to bother y’all.” Engineer stepped in, presenting a newly-mended stuffed animal to the firebug. “I think you dropped this, son. Found it all torn up outside and took it upon myself to fix it up a little. Hope you don’t mind.”

Pyro squealed with glee and hugged the bunny to their chest, letting out a muffled _thank you!_ before wrapping Engineer in an embrace as well.

“No problem.” He returned the gesture and gave them a pat on the back before pulling away. “Be more careful next time, okay?”

They nodded enthusiastically, watching him as he left. They didn’t realize they were still staring at the empty doorway until Scout nudged them.

“Yo, earth to Pyro!”

They mumbled an apology and tried focusing on their comic, but other thoughts were clouding their mind.

Whistling to himself as he worked, Engineer sketched out the prototype for a special bird feeder that Medic had requested. He was more than happy to take on the request; him and Medic had grown fairly close quite fast. It was bound to happen, the two of them practically being geniuses, after all. Sometimes you just needed to talk to someone that knew basic math.

He liked his team. He got along with them easily, and hell, actually enjoyed their company. Even Scout’s, whose energy was annoyingly neverending. Above all, he found himself enjoying Pyro’s presence a surprising amount. Sure, they were fairly quiet, and when they did talk he couldn’t understand them that well, but they were good company. On the battlefield, they could be ruthless; chopping and burning down the opposing team like it was nothing. Outside of battle, they were nothing but polite and surprisingly gentle. He couldn’t help but smile as he recalled the time they put a fallen baby bird back in its nest, or the way they excitedly embraced their teammates. They were cute, in a way.

Refining his sketch, he thought long and hard about each teammate. They were all good, hardworking men. Well, all good, hardworking men and a Pyro.

Though it had been about two months since their job began, Pyro still had a few boxes of belongings tucked away that they hadn’t unpacked. They rifled through them, picking out some favorite stuffed animals and coloring books before finding the grand prize: their record player. Moving their stray crayons aside, they excitedly set it up on their desk. Now to find their records.

Digging through the boxes again, they found the record they’d been looking for. They carefully placed the vinyl in the player before lighting some scented candles and laying back on their bed. They removed their mask and kicked off their uniform with a content sigh, feeling the soft blankets against their bare skin.

_Only you can make all this world seem right…_

_Only you can make the darkness bright..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is just a short and sweet intro but things will get more interesting soon.. pls stick with me


	2. Chapter 2

Being a few months into their jobs, the mercenaries started to notice each other’s quirks and even replicate their mannerisms. Thankfully, nobody had picked up on Sniper’s tendency to pee in jars or Soldier’s nose picking habit.

Scout was always adjusting his hat, making sure it was centered on his head. Whenever he took it off—which was rarely, unless to sleep—he’d ruffle his hair before putting it back on. He also tried to show off his barely-existent muscles at every opportunity, much to his team’s amusement. And something he didn’t want to slip out just yet: he was deathly afraid of vampires.

Soldier, as everyone knew, was prone to picking his nose. He also had many verbal tics besides his prominent “MAGGOTS!”; he could often be heard grunting or counting to himself, even muttering the occasional “hippies”. To the team’s dismay, he just absolutely loved waking up bright and early and insisting the others got up as well. They never did.

Pyro was a bottomless pit of quirks; seemingly displaying a new one each day. Their most notable ones were singing to themself, skipping, and fidgeting with things. They almost always had something in their hands to play with (most often a lighter), and if not, they’d pluck at their gloves or at anything around them. In the privacy of their room, they enjoyed coloring and playing with their stuffed animals. They would never admit the latter.

Demoman often picked at his beard or twirled his hair between his fingers if he didn’t have his hat on. He liked to hum and sway to the tune in his head as he worked. When he was anxious, he distracted himself by organizing and tidying things up.

Heavy had a passion for feeding his teammates. He was always serving them extra helpings at dinner, then extra on top of that. If there was a knock on someone’s door, odds are it was Heavy asking if they were hungry. Even if they said no, he would be insistent on giving them a snack anyway.

Engineer was always inspecting things, seeing how they worked and figuring out ways to make them work better. In his free time, he would disassemble and reassemble various objects; Scout once had to stop him from taking apart the fridge. He would probably rebuild their whole base from the ground up if he could.

Medic talked to his birds, and not just the cutesy “who’s a good birdy?” talk; he would hold full on conversations with them. Except on the battlefield, he was never seen without at least one dove perched on his shoulder or nestled in his hair. The weirdest part? Though they were all physically indistinguishable from each other, if asked the name of a specific bird, he would reply without hesitation. And he had a _lot_ of birds.

Sniper drank coffee any time of the day, and seemed to mix up his meals at times. He’d eat dinner for breakfast, then breakfast for lunch; and when he ate, he _ate_. He ate almost nonstop, seemingly no limit to his appetite or stomach room. All the eating apparently made him sleepy; he could often be found sprawled out in seemingly uncomfortable positions all around the base, yet he would be peacefully snoring away.

Spy snorted when he laughed, and he was indignant at his teammates teasing him about it. He also naturally had the tendency to keep to himself; he wasn’t opposed to spending time with his team, but he preferred to be in his own room whenever possible. He seemed cold and conceited to most of them, but those who got a bit closer to him, like Engie, learned he was surprisingly kind at heart.

Despite their differences, friendships began to bloom between the members of such an unusual group of people. They all got along well, but certain mercs clicked even better. Demoman and Soldier quickly became best buds; united by their love for roughhousing and just having a good time. Engineer and Medic often worked on just-for-fun projects together, and depending on the project, used Heavy as a test subject. He didn’t mind, as long as he was spending time with the doctor.

Ironically, Sniper and Spy bonded over their shared interest in being alone. Pyro and Scout hung out a lot as well, often engaging in simple, childish activities. When they weren't doodling or reading comics, they’d go outside and look for worms after it rained, or watch movies in the comfort of their pillow fort. If they had a particularly good idea, they’d occasionally prank their teammates. Let’s just say Medic was not too happy when they taped an air horn under his desk chair. Sniper, on the other hand, thought it was hilarious — until he was driving to Teufort and found out the hard way that the pair of troublemakers had taped a harmonica to the grill of his van.

Things couldn’t be better. Or maybe they could, but nobody really expected it from the rowdy bunch of contract killers.

Pyro sang softly to themself as they poured another glass of juice.

 _Only you and you alone..._ _  
_

_Can thrill me like you do…_

They settled back in their seat at the dinner table just in time.

“Everyone!” Medic tapped his spoon to his glass. The other mercenaries looked up from their conversations. “I have a proposal.”

“Geez, ain’t ya gonna buy me dinner first?” Scout quipped, kicking his feet up onto the table. Heavy gently pushed them off.

“Vell, you are already eating dinner, so..” He cleared his throat, nodding towards Scout’s ginormous plate of food. “Anyvay, I propose zhat we all spend some time togezher tomorrow.”

“We already spend time with each other on the battlefield!” Soldier barked.

“I mean _quality_ time,” Medic explained, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’d like for everyone to spend time togezher vithout someone getting blown up, shot, stabbed, set on fire, or all four. Of course, zhat is fun and all, but even I get tired of zhe nonstop carnage sometimes.”

Spy chimed in, “So how do you propose we spend time together, doctor?”

“..I don’t know,” he admitted, “I vas hoping you all had ideas. Zhe best I’ve got is a barbeque and a movie.”

“That doesn’t sound half bad, doc.” A few people nodded in agreement with Engineer.

“Is good idea,” Heavy assured him. “Doctor should pick movie. I will cook.”

“I’ve got some good movies back in my van if you wanna take a look,” Sniper offered through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

“You vant me to come out to your van? Just me? Are you hitting on me, Herr Sniper?”

He nearly choked.

“Wh—”

“Only joking!” Medic beamed over the other man’s sputters. “I vill take you up on your offer. But really, no funny business.”

Sniper coughed. “Got it.”

“So it’s settled! Everyone, clear your schedules for tomorrow. Ve are going to have a _blast!_ ”

Demo, who had fallen asleep and was drooling on the tablecloth, roused at his word choice. “We’re gonna ‘ave a what? What’s this about a blast?”

“Go back to sleep, mein Freund. You can vorry about it in zhe morning.”

“Mmhmm,” he mumbled into his peas.


	3. Chapter 3

“Good morning, ladies!” Soldier bellowed as he marched through the hall, banging a pot and wooden spoon together, “Up and at ‘em! Let’s go!”

Spy begrudgingly peeked out of his room. “Soldier, you do this spiel every day, and no one else gets up. Let people have their beauty sleep.”

Scout was peeking out as well, and snorted at his comment. “Yeah, you probably need it the most.” Spy shot him a glare before closing his door. “Whatever. Mornin’, Soldier.” He stretched and yawned as he stepped out of his room, then headed to the showers.

Demoman popped out of his room with a groan, rubbing his temples. “Soldier, lad, knock that shit off.”

Soldier meekly lowered his makeshift alarm clock. Demo was the only person that could easily put him in line. “Sorry.”

For once, people were willing to get up to Soldier’s call. Medic, Heavy, Engineer, and Pyro filed out of their rooms one by one and started their days. Pyro made breakfast while Medic ventured out to Sniper’s van to wake him and ask him to get meat for the barbeque. The mercs gathered around the table as Pyro served them.

Spy scowled as he entered the room, begrudgingly taking a seat. He was still wearing his pajamas. Scout snickered, “Rough night?”

“Yes,” Spy replied flatly, shooting daggers at him. He was _not_ having it this morning. “And I do not wish to discuss it any further.” He took an angry bite of toast, which was a bit hard not to laugh at.

Pyro settled down just as Medic returned. They sighed, getting back up to make him a plate.

“Sniper is out getting zhe food for later,” he announced. “I had anozher idea; ve could play some games before ve vatch zhe movie.”

Scout nodded, then accordingly choked on his orange juice. “Wait—” he sputtered. “You left _Sniper_ in charge of the food?! He’s gonna give us roadkill!”

“Zhat’s vhat I vas vorried about, but I specifically instructed him zhat he go to zhe store and get somezhing fresh.” He pushed his glasses up his nose, thanking Pyro as they placed his breakfast in front of him. “Of course, if vhat he brings back isn’t satisfactory, ve could alvays eat him instead.”

The table went dead silent; even the chewing stopped as they glared at Medic, who had a concerning grin on his face. He erupted into shrill laughter. “Only joking!”

They had a feeling he wasn’t. Not entirely.

The mercs finished breakfast and went to do their own thing. Heavy and Medic started setting up for the barbeque, and Pyro sorted through their selection of board games. They mostly had ones for younger people, like Candy Land and Snakes and Ladders. Engineer found a chess board in his own collection. They lounged around until it was time.

Eventually, Sniper came back, his arms overflowing with grocery bags. He unceremoniously dumped them on the dining room table, the only place that would fit them. _And_ there was more in the van. It was hard work feeding nine people.

Medic walked in just as Sniper unloaded the last few bags. He raised an eyebrow. “Good heavens, vhat did you buy?”

Sniper pulled a comically long receipt out of his pocket; it quickly unravelled and bounced on the floor. “Oh, y’know. Just a bit of this and a bit of that.”

Medic inspected the inside of one bag. “Zhis isn’t all for zhe barbeque, is it?”

“Nah. I just got groceries in general. We always eat the same shit around here, doc. I’m sick of it!”

“You don’t seem sick of it.” He smirked, placing a bottle of apple juice in the fridge. “You practically inhale anyzhing you’re given.”

Sniper shrugged. He got him there. “Oh, I got some stuff you guys like. Watch out, there's an apple in one of these bags.”

Medic rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

Scout strolled in, eyes widening as they scanned the amount of groceries in the room. “Whoah, food!”

“Excellent observation, my dear Scout.” Medic practically shoved a few bags into his arms. “Vould you mind taking zhese out to Heavy? I zhink it’s time ve start cooking.”

His mouth watered at the prospect of delicious grilled food. “On it!” He wasted no time in sprinting out of the base.

The two of them finished putting away the barbeque-unrelated items, and Scout finished bringing the barbeque-related items outside. Engineer helped set up chairs and tables, while Demoman put out the plates and silverware. Heavy let Pyro start the grill while he prepared and seasoned the meat. Thankfully, it didn’t come from a dead raccoon in the side of the road, and Sniper would live another day.

Spy seemed to be in a better mood than earlier; he talked and laughed with Sniper and didn’t even snap at Scout when the younger man pestered him. They all hung out around the area while Heavy cooked and Medic cut up some fruit. Soldier and Demo wrestled in the dirt while Pyro picked flowers close by. Scout excitedly ran laps around the tables, and Spy may or may not have stuck his leg out a little too far and tripped him.

Finally, the food was ready. They all settled down while Heavy and Engineer went around asking everyone what they wanted from platters stacked high with steaks, hot dogs, burgers, ribs, corn, watermelon, peaches, cherries, and pineapple. Medic set out two big pitchers of lemonade and water, respectively. As soon as Scout got his food, he tore into his ribs like a wild animal, practically spraying spit and sauce on everyone and everything in the vicinity.

Once everyone was served, Engineer sat next to Pyro, and they almost squirmed in excitement.

“Hm!” _Hi!_ Engineer watched curiously as they reached into their pocket and produced a daisy they picked earlier. They reached over and tucked it behind his ear and beamed at the warm smile that resulted.

“Aw, ain’t that nice. Thank you, Py.”

Their heart thudded against their chest. Py. That was a new one. Sure, it was just a shortened version of their name, but it was cute!

“Nm phrmhmm… Mmnm.” _No problem… Engie._ He smiled even wider, playfully punching them on the shoulder.

The mercenaries all chatted and chortled amongst themselves as they ate. Once they finished their seconds (and for some, even thirds) that were practically enforced by Heavy, they started cleaning up. Scout had to be dragged back into base; he was laying motionless in the dirt and groaning about how he ate too much. Engineer walked alongside Pyro as they headed back inside, and they had to actively resist the urge to hold his hand.

With everyone gathered in the living room, Medic started moving the furniture aside to make room for what he had planned.

“I zhink ve should play charades!” he exclaimed, standing in front of the group. They nodded their approvals. “I’ll go first.” He put up two fingers.

“Two words,” a few of them said. Medic pushed up his glasses.

“Nerd!” Scout called out. Medic glared at him and shook his head.

Spy blew a puff of smoke towards the younger man’s face. “Scout, that’s one word. Do you know how to count?”

“Shut up!”

Medic snapped to get their attention. Once again, he adjusted his glasses, and mimed putting his hair up. They all watched intently as he held a pretend clipboard to his chest then proceeded to write on it. The cogs in Scout’s brain were turning intensely.

“...Miss Pauling!” he shouted as Medic dusted off his ‘skirt’. Medic grinned and pointed to him, nodding vigorously.

“Yes! Hmm, I suppose zhat one vas a little too easy. Scout, do you vant to go nex—” Scout was up and pushing him out of the way before he could even finish his sentence.

“Boy, would I! Okay.” He cleared his throat, holding up one finger. He jumped into a batting stance.

“Baseball,” Spy said flatly. Scout threw his arms up in defeat.

“What the hell, man!”

Spy chuckled and stepped up to bat. “Strike, you’re out.”

After everyone had a go, Scout unrolled and laid an enormous Twister mat on the floor. Heavy volunteered to man the spinner. Before long, the other eight were contorted and tangled up. Both of Engineer’s hands were on green, his left foot on yellow and his right foot on blue. Pyro was to the left of him, perched at the edge of the mat with their feet on yellow and blue. It was their turn.

Heavy flicked the spinner. “Left hand yellow.”

Pyro looked around. The nearest yellow vacant space was to the right of Engie. They stood up and reached over, slowly lowering their left hand onto the circle. Their limbs wobbled, and they mumbled a quiet _oh no_ as they gave way, and they collapsed onto Engie. With Pyro’s weight on top of him, he hit the mat with a soft thud, wheezing out a laugh. Scout started giggling as well, and purposely threw himself on top of Sniper.

“Bugger!” he growled, shaking him off and laying on top of him to give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Will you fools calm do—” Spy cut himself off with a shriek as Soldier landed on him. Heavy simply watched as the game went up in flames. To add insult to injury, Demo got on top of Soldier. His cheek pressed against the mat, Spy whispered a weak plea for help. Medic practically leaped at Heavy and knocked him to the ground. Heavy was too polite to return the favor; he’d probably break the smaller man’s ribs.

Their fit of laughter subsiding, Pyro stood up and offered Engineer a hand. He took it and was hoisted up with a surprising amount of strength. Well, maybe it wasn’t that surprising; they did have to carry that huge flamethrower around all the time. The other mercs joined in soon enough, wiping away their laughter induced tears.

Scout adjusted his hat. “I kinda wanna watch the movie now. I ain't got the brain power for any more games.”

“When do you ever?” Spy coughed, sitting up and dusting his suit off. Scout rolled his eyes and flicked him before turning to Medic.

“So what movie did ya pick, doc?”

“Vell, I picked two. Zhe first one’s a romantic comedy—” Scout groaned. “—and zhe second one’s horror. I figured ve can have an intermission betveen zhem and vatch it vhen it gets dark out.”

Sniper stood up and stretched. “I’ll make the popcorn.” Pyro enthusiastically tagged along; they liked watching the kernels pop.

The rest of them cleaned up and put the furniture back in place. Medic disappeared for a moment, then came back with spare blankets and a few birds perched on him. They cooed and nestled into him, one flying over to sit on Heavy. Engineer made a structurally sound pillow fort. It was done by the time Sniper and Pyro came back.

“Hey. Psst. Py,” he whispered from inside the fort. Pyro giggled and bounded over to him, kneeling down and crawling inside while carefully carrying their bowl of popcorn. “I made this with you in mind.” Their heart melted. He tilted his head slightly. “Oops. I just winked but I forgot you can’t see it.” They giggled even harder and playfully shoved him, only to be mercilessly shoved back. Outside their fort, Medic popped the tape in the VCR.

“Oi!” Sniper peeked in, “You kids behave in there.”

“I’m older than you, son.”

“You’re not actin’ like it.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Sniper lowered his hat over his eyes. That was the second time today someone got him. “Alright. Fair enough.” He straightened up and took a seat on the recliner. Spy sat in his own chair, Heavy and Medic shared the loveseat, and Scout, Demo, and Soldier huddled on the couch. A familiar tune played as the opening credits appeared.

_And fill my heart with love for only you…_

_Only you can make all this change in me…_

They all ended up enjoying the movie. Even Scout, who was initially put off on account of it being a rom-com. By now, the sun was starting to set. They all took a break to stretch and refill their popcorn and drinks. The darkness settled, and they settled back in for the second movie.

Pyro ended up in Engie’s lap at one point, curling up and hiding their face against his chest. They only dared to peek during the milder portions of the movie. Demo suffered the same fate; Scout and Soldier were splayed out across his lap, clinging to him for dear life. He tolerated them.

Medic ended dozing off against Heavy’s shoulder, birds freely hopping between both of them and pecking at the doctor’s lab coat. Heavy ended up falling asleep as well, not wanting to move and wake up his friend. Spy’s soft snores echoed in the background, with Sniper’s louder snores in the foreground. Even the Scout/Demo/Soldier pile drifted off into sweet dreams, all of them curled up under one blanket. Pyro yawned under their mask, snuggling closer to Engie.

“You tired?” Engie murmured. Pyro managed a sleepy nod. “Yeah, me too.” They squeaked as Engineer gently scooped them up and placed them on the ground before tucking them in. He yawned too, removing his hard hat and goggles and rubbing his face. He got comfortable under the covers before turning on his side, back facing them. “Goodnight, Py.”

Even through the suit, their skin still felt warm where he had touched them. They were almost too giddy to sleep, but they managed to calm down and settle in. They hugged an extra pillow extra tight, mind racing with a recap of the day. They were finally making another genuine friend. Closing their eyes, they drifted off into the most peaceful dreams they’d had in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated so much i luv u guys


	4. Chapter 4

Pyro woke up in their own bed. Sitting up curiously, they wondered how they got there. They had fallen asleep in the living room, after all. They pulled the covers off and grimaced at the feeling of a light coating of sweat covering their body. Right; nobody had the chance to change into their pajamas last night, it was an impromptu slumber party. They quickly tugged off their suit and changed into their bathrobe, gathering their soaps and shampoos and heading out to the showers. Stepping into the stall, they hung up their robe and slipped their mask off with a satisfied sigh. There were only two times where they felt secure in removing their heavily concealing uniform: in the shower, and alone in their room. There was no one to judge them, and nothing to worry about. They closed their eyes and let the warm water run over them.

Eventually, they had to snap back to reality. They washed their hair and absentmindedly picked at a scab on their wrist while the conditioner set. Rinsing and turning the water off, they put on their robe and wrapped their hair in a thin towel before sliding their mask back on. They whistled to themself during the trek back to their room, then started getting dressed once they arrived. They slipped on a more casual outfit: a turtleneck and jeans. Thank goodness it was another ceasefire day, they didn’t feel like doing much of anything that morning. They pulled on their gloves and boots before making their way to the kitchen.

Only Scout and Demoman were at the table, with their breakfasts abandoned in favor of an arm wrestle. Scout was putting up a surprisingly good fight.

“Jus’ give up already!” Demo grunted, voice strained.

“Never!”

“If ye know what’s best for ye, give up! Yer gonna be cryin’ to Medic when I snap yer wee arm!”

Scout ground his teeth and pushed with all his might. Pyro watched intently while pouring a bowl of cereal. His attempts were futile, however; with one final push, Demo slammed Scout’s arm against the table. The utensils and plates rattled from the force of the blow.

“Ow, c’mon man!” Scout pouted and rubbed his wrist. Demo leaned back, raising his eyebrows and taking a sip of coffee.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn ye.”

Pyro had just finished shovelling cereal through the filter of their mask when Engineer walked in. They let out a muffled squeal of excitement and ran to embrace him. Accepting it, he patted them on the back with a chuckle.

“Probably wonderin’ how you ended up in your own room, right?” They tilted their head to the side. How did he know? “Everyone started wakin’ up in the middle of the night and goin’ back to their own rooms. We ended up bein’ the only ones left, so I carried you to your room before I went to mine. You’re a real heavy sleeper, huh?”

Pyro blushed. He had even tucked them in. Engineer paused, hand still lingering on their back.

“Say… D’ya wanna hang out today? I can show you around my workshop.”

They nearly jumped in excitement, eagerly nodding their head. Engie grinned, taking them by the hand.

“C’mon, then.”

They felt like they were dreaming as he lead them to his workshop; it was like a scene in the rom-com they watched last night. Once they were inside, Pyro gawked at the various inventions and machines that lined the room wall to wall. They enthusiastically bounded over to a particularly odd but familiar structure.

“That was the first sentry prototype,” he explained, clearing some clutter from his desk. “A bit clunky and useless, but I can’t bear to get rid of it.” He plopped down on his rolling chair, watching fondly as Pyro inspected some blueprints hanging on the wall. “Y’all ever build somethin’ before?”

Pyro nodded; they had done many simple woodworking projects and even made their own flamethrower, but nothing as fancy and technical as Engineer’s work. They turned to another blueprint, yelping in surprise when Engie rolled his chair right into them, causing them to fall into his lap.

“How’d you like to help me build somethin’ after I’m done showin’ you around?” They nodded again, buzzing with excitement as he wrapped his arms around their midsection to make sure they didn’t fall and began wheeling around the office. Pyro listened carefully as he explained each machine and blueprint, occasionally asking a question or letting out a muffled _wow._

“And finally…” They arrived in front of a small unfinished device that was placed on a table. To Pyro, it was a nonsensical pile of parts. “This is what we’ll be workin’ on.”

“Whmm hudda?” _What is it?_

“A special alarm clock that doubles as a dream recorder.” Behind their goggles, Pyro’s eyes widened. “I mostly finished the alarm clock part; it can also control the temperature and lights in your room to make sure you have the best sleep possible, and even play white noise if you want it to. The dream recorder is what I’ve had trouble with. I’ve had to scrap it and start over more times than I can count. But, I’ve been fiddling with it lately and I think I’m finally on the right track. Plus I’ve got you to help me out!” He gave them a tight hug, which they would’ve reciprocated if they were facing him.

“Mmph huh hm!” _Let’s do it!_ They practically leapt out of the seat, Engie following close behind. He brought his toolbox up to the table and dragged over an extra seat for his favorite firebug. They sat down and patiently awaited instructions.

“Here—” He placed a container in front of them. “Do me a favor and put all the loose screws and whatnot in here. I left a few rattlin’ around in there the other day.” Pyro whistled to themself as they plucked various bolts and rivets from inside the machine. Engineer studied his previous notes and blueprints closely.

“Oh, hey, you want the radio on?” Reaching over and turning it on, it clicked to life with a soft buzz before a tune surfaced.

 _For it's true, you are my destiny…_ _  
_

_When you hold my hand..._

Engineer noticed the way Pyro’s legs happily kicked back and forth while they worked. He could hear them faintly singing and couldn’t help but smile. Cute.

They had accumulated a substantial pile of screws and were fruitlessly searching for more.

“I think that’s all, doll.”

Their whistle caught in their throat. Doll. The butterflies in their stomach were thriving, but they had to focus on the task at hand. They put the container to the side and awaited further instruction.

“Hold on a sec.” Engie tinkered with the exterior of the device, mostly for cosmetic reasons. Then, he slid them a metal board lined with wires, circuits, and all sorts of other confusing things. They looked at him in bewilderment and he chuckled. “Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it looks. Here—” He dug out a diagram and handed it to them. “All you have to do is connect a few things and place some circuits down. You can do it!”

Pyro nodded firmly, finding their confidence. “Hm hudda hm.” _I can do it._ Following the diagram, they realized it was a bit like doing a puzzle. They clicked pieces into place, pushing buttons, connecting wires, and making sure everything was in order. Meanwhile, Engie finished up some adjustments inside the device and closed it off. Once Pyro was done, he gratefully took the board from them, attaching it to a larger base before installing the screen. Pyro waved to their reflection.

“Alright..” He reviewed his notes, absentmindedly tapping his pencil to his chin. “We only have a few things left.” He pointed to the larger part they had just finished, “This is where the dreams will be displayed. You can pause, rewind, fast forward, all that. We’ll connect it to the alarm clock, and then the alarm clock connects to the person. Would you do the honors?”

Pyro inspected the machines for a moment before realizing they fit together. Again, just like a puzzle. Joining the two parts together, they clapped after they clicked into place and Engineer let out a cheerful whoop. He placed a sort of small receiver into a special cavity on the alarm clock, then pulled out the matching piece that was to be worn by the person.

Engineer stood up and stretched before offering his hand. “Whaddaya say… Wanna be my test subject?”

Pyro took it, giggling as they were pulled to their feet and into an embrace.

He packed up his invention and carried it over to Pyro’s room. Since they weren’t that sleepy but the two of them were both too impatient to wait until that night to test it out, they went to get Medic for anesthesia while Engineer set everything up. Pyro returned soon enough with the doctor in tow, and wasted no time in getting comfy in bed.

“Zhree.. two.. one,” Medic hummed as he finished delivering the anesthesia. “Do you vant me to read you a bedtime story too? Oh, you’re already asleep.” He packed up his things and began heading out. “Good luck zhen, mein Freund.”

Engineer lounged back on Pyro’s couch and watched ecstatically as the device automatically adjusted the room conditions based on what was going on in Pyro’s body. Under their mask, they had attached the receiver's counterpart to their temple. As well as recording their dreams, it picked up on their vital signs, the device quickly making accomodations for any detected discomfort. Eventually, things stopped changing as it found a perfect match for Pyro’s needs and reached equilibrium. Engineer busied himself with exploring their room, flipping through their comics and coloring books and even starting to color a page of his own. He hoped it wasn’t one they’d wanted to do.

With the low dose Medic gave them, Pyro woke up in about an hour. The power nap and genuine excitement to see the results energized them; they immediately jumped out of bed, startling Engie.

“Jesus!” He dropped a crayon, then wheezed out a laugh. “Didn’t expect that. Alright, let’s see..”

He made his way over to the device, which Pyro was already bouncing next to. Fiddling with some knobs and buttons, they both watched in awe as the screen clicked to life.

Pyro squealed as their dream began to play out. They were laying in a field next to Engineer, tucking various flowers in his clothes and even making him a flower crown. Snuggling into his arms, they turned to the sky and watched the clouds go by, pointing some of them out to Engie. There was one shaped like Archimedes, one shaped like a top hat, and even one shaped exactly like Scout! Then, the clouds appeared to get closer and closer. They looked down, realizing they were floating dozens of feet above ground and showed no signs of stopping. It was okay, they were still with Engie. The two of them continued to ascend until they burst through a cloud, revealing a colorful world up above. All the mercenaries were there, dancing on the clouds while bunnies hopped past and unicorns zipped through the air. Engineer and Pyro landed on a small cloud, a glowing, color changing dance floor appearing under their feet as they did. They danced for a while, laughing and holding each other close until a unicorn stopped right next to them. Engineer climbed onto it, offering Pyro his hand. They accepted it and were pulled onto the creature as well, wrapping their arms around Engineer’s midsection as they rode off into space.

The screen went dark, the dream was over. They stared blankly at each other for a moment.

“Mm.. whmhm.” _It.. worked._ “MM WHMHM!”

They pulled him into a tight embrace, spinning him around ecstatically. For some reason, he found himself caught up on the dream rather than the fact that his invention worked. He snapped back to attention.

“It worked!” he cried back, returning the gesture as soon as he was set back down. “We did it!”

“Mm hudda huh hmm whmm..” _It was mostly your work.._ They sheepishly rubbed the back of their neck.

“Oh, hush! You helped. I couldn’t have done it without you, doll.” He couldn’t help but hug them again, which they happily reciprocated.

“Let’s go get some lunch, I’m starvin’.”

“Hmmphm.” _Agreed._

A light feeling in his heart and a spring in his step, Engie made his way to the kitchen with Pyro by his side. They reached out and held his hand, and he didn’t object. In fact, he might’ve even initiated the gesture if the firebug hadn’t first. He could feel it: the start of something new; something big.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: this chapter contains temporary character death in the last section!

The realization hit them like a ton of bricks.

How hadn’t they realized sooner?

All this time, they thought they were just overly excited to be Engineer’s friend.

But the butterflies feverishly fluttering in their stomach? The way their heart pounded whenever he casually addressed them by a pet name? The total warmth and serenity that spread through their body whenever they embraced?

That didn’t happen with others; not Scout, not even Miss Pauling, whom they adored dearly.

Oh man, they were in deep. They hadn’t realized they were sinking until they were up to their neck in Xs and Os.

They huddled on their bed, lost in thought and staring at a recently lit candle, flame burning as bright as their love.

They needed to talk to someone.

“Hahaha! Oh, man!”

They stared blankly at him.

“Wait, you’re serious?”

“Hudda mmphmm!” they exclaimed, throwing their arms up into the air. _Yes, I’m serious!_ Scout sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh. Sorry.” He cleared his throat, “So lemme get this straight. You like Engineer, and you’re asking _me_ for advice? Now _that’s_ laughable.”

They crossed their arms. “Mm huh mmphm huh hudda hm!” _I’m not asking you for advice!_ “Mm huh whmmhm hudda mmphm, mm huh.” _I just wanted to tell someone, I guess._

“Do you think he feels the same way?”

They were sitting on the roof of their base, Scout kicking his legs over the edge. Pyro fumbled with their gloves for a moment and considered the question. It had been a few months since their friendship really kicked off; Pyro considered the day in his workshop the beginning of it. Ever since then, they hung out often and generally tried to be in each other’s presence whenever possible. So Engineer actively sought them out above the other mercenaries; that didn’t necessarily mean he was interested in them. Not in that way.

“Mm huddah,” they answered truthfully. _I don’t know_. They picked at the skin under their glove. Scout glanced away, seemingly becoming enraptured in watching the birds fly by.

“Well,” he said after a while, “I think it could work. I ain't the best at this stuff, but like…” He put his hand to his chin, his brain chugging diligently. “If it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen, y’know? Don’t try to force it.” A bit ironic, considering his continuous attempts to woo Miss Pauling. “Just wait and see if things head in the right direction.”

“Mm huh hudda mm mmhmm mmph, hudda mmph.” _I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re right._ Scout grinned, and under the mask, Pyro grinned back. They pulled him into a hug, patting his back. “Hudda, mmph.” _Thank you, Scout._

He pulled them even closer, pride filling his chest at his success. “No biggie, mumbles.”

“Next!”

Soldier strolled out of the examination room, sporting a flattering backless hospital gown. The waiting room music crackled softly through the speakers.

_I understand the magic that you do…_

_You’re my dream come true..._

“Soldier, take your clozhes, you dummkopf!” His uniform was flung across the hallway, hitting him square in the back of the head. Standing up and stretching, Engineer entered the office.

“Ah, velcome! Have a seat.” Medic gestured to the exam table before rolling his chair over to his file cabinet and searching through the folders. “Conagher, Conagher.. Ah, here you are!” He pulled out Engineer’s records and made his way over to the bedside. “How’s your back?”

“Could be better,” he chuckled. “It’s fine. Hasn’t been botherin’ me lately.”

“Good. Any ozher concerns?”

“Nah.”

“Alright, just zhe standard physical zhen. Please change into zhis for me.” Medic handed the other man a hospital gown before backing up and closing the curtain around the area. A minute of shimmying in and out of clothes later, Engineer reopened the curtain. Medic stood up, taking out his stethoscope. Engie shivered as the cold metal touched his chest.

“So, I noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time vith Pyro lately,” Medic said, moving the stethoscope around. He suddenly smirked, looking down at him with his eyebrows furrowed. “Your heart sped up. You like zhem?”

“Well of course!” He was painfully oblivious. “Why else would I hang out with ‘em?”

Medic pinched the bridge of his nose. “I mean are you romantically interested in zhem?”

“Wh—” He coughed, feeling blush creeping across his cheeks. “What? I— I don’t know, doc, I’ve never thought about ‘em that way before.”

Moving the end of the stethoscope to Engineer’s back, Medic chuckled, “Vell, maybe you should. Don’t vorry, zhis vill be our little secret. Doctor-patient confidentiality. Inhale. Exhale. Again. Very good.” He whistled as he started preparing the blood pressure test, leaving Engineer to consider his previous statement. He only thought of Pyro as a good friend. Medic strapped the cuff around his upper arm. Were there other tones in their relationship? He felt the cuff squeeze his skin. If Medic was asking about it, then… But Medic was Medic! Did any other mercs view them this way? This was weird.

Unstrapping the cuff, Medic scribbled some notes on his clipboard. “Your blood pressure is fine. And I trust you’ve performed some self examinations on your, err, ozher parts? Nozhing unusual zhere?”

“Nope. All good, doc.”

“Alright. I’ll just take some blood and zhen you can be on your vay.”

Engineer had the feeling the blood was for his personal use rather than a test for the good of Engie’s health, but he stuck his arm out anyway. The procedure was over quick; he was done and changed back into his uniform before he knew it. Medic gave him a granola bar and sent him out.

“Next!”

He left the office feeling weirder than he usually did after being subjected to Medic’s shenanigans. Taking a bite of his granola bar, he was certain the loss of blood wasn’t cause for his confusion.

“Damn it!”

Engineer hurriedly tried to repair his sentry, which had taken a few substantial hits. While he was at it, he upgraded it and secured the area to make sure it wouldn’t be messed with again any time soon. Returning to his post, he perked up upon hearing a distant, muffled cry of pain. Readying his shotgun, he surveyed his surroundings as the sound repeated and got closer and closer. Eventually, Pyro fell into his field of vision with a thud. He discarded his shotgun without a second thought and rushed to their side.

“Oh God, Py, are you okay?!” He kneeled down and pulled them into his lap, flipping them onto their back. Blood was seeping through their uniform from several bullet holes in their chest, and there was a _lot_ of it. Their breathing was ragged between their whimpers. They desperately tried to cling to him, grip weak from blood loss.

“It’s alright,” he whispered, holding them close and rubbing their back. “I’m here, I’ve got you. MEDIC! Shh, shh, it’s gonna be okay.”

Their body shook with soft sobs, and he couldn’t help but wonder if they were this emotional each time they died. He couldn’t blame them, dying was a scary thing, no matter how many times someone has been through respawn. Plus, how many times had they died alone before they befriended anybody; crying and in agony, left to bleed out in the dirt? He could feel tears of his own pooling behind his goggles, and he reached up to wipe them away before going right back to holding them.

“I’ve got you,” he repeated, rocking them gently and putting pressure on the wounds. “Py? Try and stay with me.” He knew they were going to die; Medic wouldn’t reach them in time. He was doing anything he could to help them feel comfortable in their last moments.

“Mmnmm..” _Engie.._ They whined, their grip on his shirt loosening even further.

“It’s alright. Let go, doll, you’ll be fine. I’ll be here.”

They nuzzled into his chest one last time before going limp.

Engineer kept cradling their body for a while, humming and stroking their head. As they were swept up by respawn, he realized he had the answer to Medic’s question.

Yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall!! we are halfway there..!!  
> thank u all for ur comments n kudos.. they mean the world to me and it warms my heart reading them!  
> im trying to crank these out before finals while still keeping them good quality.. anyway.. thanks for reading so far! couldnt have done it without ur support n encouragement <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: this chapter contains drug use!

His mind was clouded, a thunderstorm of thoughts. Try as he might, he couldn’t focus on his work; all he could think about was them. Setting his tools down, he put his head in his hands. He needed a moment or two or three to clear his brain. Where could he go where he’d be undisturbed? He stood and walked out of the base, and then?

He knocked on the door to Sniper’s van.

“Crikey!” A loud crash sounded from inside, presumably Sniper falling off his furniture in surprise. A few heavy footsteps and annoyed grumbles later, the door swung open. “What do you want?”

Engineer was a bit surprised by his attitude, taking a step back. “Yeesh, sorry. If this is a bad time—”

“No, no,” Sniper sighed, rubbing his temple. “ _I’m_ sorry, mate. It’s fine. What’s up? Come in.” He moved to the side to give Engineer room to step in, then closed the door behind him.

“I just needed to get away from the base for a while,” he admitted, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Sniper sat across from him. “And talk to someone, I guess.”

“And I was your first choice?” He smirked and took a sip of coffee. “Why don’t you talk to your little gas-masked friend?”

Engineer awkwardly fiddled with the straps of his overalls. “Well, it’s _about_ them..” Sniper raised an eyebrow.

“Thinkin’ about raisin’ a bunch of arsonist ankle-biters, eh?” Engineer choked, but thankfully the other man changed the subject and saved him from having to answer. “You seem stressed, mate. Do you smoke?”

“Uh, I used to in my late twenties. Not that much, though; probably only a pack every two weeks. I quit a long time ago.”

Sniper sniggered. “I’m not talkin’ about cigarettes.”

“What?”

“Pot. Y’know, marijuana? Weed, the devil’s lettuce, Mary Jane, whatever the hell they’re callin’ it these days. For someone with eleven PHDs, you can be awfully slow sometimes.”

Engie reached over and playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Only once or twice in college. I didn’t really feel anythin', though.”

“Well, lucky for you…” Sniper stood, then started to climb up to his bed. “I have the good stuff. You wanna try it?” He pulled a box out from under his pillow, climbing back down. “No pressure, mate. But it could help you unwind.”

Boy, did he need to unwind.

“Hell, why not?”

Sniper led the way out of the van and to a secluded, grassy hill. The pink and orange hues of the setting sun, the small burst of flame from Sniper’s lighter, everything was reminding him of them. He plucked a flower and rolled the petals between his fingers. He needed to get away.

The stars spun wildly, constellations dancing and pulsing. He laughed, swinging his limbs through the grass and making a dirt-angel. He could hear Sniper’s voice in the distance, yet he was clearly only a few feet away.

“You havin’ fun?”

“What?” Engineer sat up, feeling like his mind was a few seconds behind his body. Or was it vice-versa? “Oh, yeah. I am.” He kept playing with the flower he picked earlier, squeezing it and practically putting it _in_ his nose when he smelled it. “It’s weird. I can feel that I’m.. what’s the word.. disabled? No, uh… Incapacitated… No…”

Sniper watched in amusement as he desperately tried to think of the word. It was as if his eleven PHDs up and disappeared.

“...IMPAIRED! Yeah, I can feel that I’m impaired but I can’t stop being impaired. As you just saw.”

“Engie, we haven’t even smoked anything yet.”

“..What?”

They both stared at each other, expressions hidden by Engineer’s goggles and Sniper’s glasses.

“Nah, just fuckin’ with you, mate. Just sit back and relax, think about whatever you need to think about.”

Sniper kicked back against a tree, tipping his hat over his face. Engie laid back in the grass, the cool blades tickling his bare arms. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind, focusing on one thing at a time.

He liked Pyro. That was certain. Did they like him back? Okay, slow down, he could worry about that later. He _could,_ but he began analyzing Pyro’s behavior anyway. They obviously preferred being around him, so that was good. And they were always excited to hug or cuddle… Maybe that was just their personality, though. They hugged all the other mercenaries all the time.. But did they cuddle with them? He couldn’t recall a time when they had. He could almost hear his heart thudding against his ribcage.

They hadn’t even taken their mask off around him yet; was this too soon? How could he love someone if he’s never seen their face?

He shook his head, as if to dislodge these thoughts from his mind. He loved Pyro and always would, no matter what was underneath their uniform. He was starting to feel a bit restless, fidgeting with the flower as his mind flipped through several scenarios that could occur between him and Pyro. He frowned, sitting up. He needed _real_ help, and he knew just where to get it. Slipping past the knocked-out Sniper, he made his way back to the base.

“Come in.”

Engineer tentatively opened the door to Spy’s room.

“What is it you need at such a late hour?” Spy didn’t even turn to face him as he took a drag of his cigarette.

“Sorry to bother you, partner.” He wrung his hands together. “But it’s somethin' you’re good with, and it’s kinda urgent.”

Spy finally looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow. “Go on.”

“Well.. geez, how do I put this… Basically, I like someone, and I’m not sure what to do.” He chuckled nervously, “It’s been a while.”

“Oh? Does this person like you back?”

“That’s the thing,” Engie murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not sure. They’re a bit hard to read.” Spy nodded, taking a moment to think. His record player buzzed softly in the background.

_My one and only you…_

_Only you can make all this change in me…_

“Well,” he snickered, “nothing is unreadable if you learn how to read it, my friend.” He put out his cigarette, gesturing to the couch across from him. “Have a seat. Do they act different around you?”

Getting comfortable, Engineer sighed. “I guess so—”

“You guess so, or you _know_ so?”

He blinked. Spy was really scrutinizing him here. “I.. know so.”

“How so?”

“Well, for starters, they just generally wanna be around me more. And they’re real affectionate; hugs, cuddles, they’d probably kiss me if they could—”

“They can’t?”

“Err, no, not exactly.”

“How come?” Spy watched with a smirk as Engineer squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. “I know this is about Pyro. You don’t have to try and play it off like a mystery woman.”

Engineer let out the breath he’d been holding. “Yeah, I guess I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to sneak this past a Spy,” he chuckled. “So, yeah. Hugs, cuddles, all that, always wantin' to be around me.. They hug y’all all the time though, so I was just thinkin' they’re a real touchy-feely person.”

“To me, it seems like they could be interested.” Spy uncrossed his legs, leaning forward. “Here's my advice: don’t be a coward. This is where many people mess up; they play the waiting game, and then suddenly, it’s game over. Make some moves. Not too bold, but not too subtle.” He let Engie process this while he took a sip of his drink. “Like the rest of us, you probably have no clue who the person under the suit is, right? Spend time with them, get to know them better. Gain their trust, open up to them, and they should open up in return. Then you reel them in.”

Engineer utilized this information while it was still fresh in his mind, forming a solid game plan. “Got it.” He stood up, patting the other man on the shoulder before making his way to the exit. “Thank you, Spy. I owe you one.”

“Goodnight and good luck, my friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> engie being high is based off my own experience sjndhnf i went through the exact same process trying to think of the word impaired EXCEPT i took 10x longer


	7. Chapter 7

A few weeks had passed since Engineer confided in Spy for advice. They were spent with Pyro whenever possible, hanging out as a group with the other mercs or one-on-one in each other’s rooms, growing closer by the day.

On this day, they were relaxing outside. Engineer sketched some ideas for his next project while Pyro picked flowers nearby. They hummed to themself as they threaded the flowers together.

Engie looked up with a smile as they slid into the seat next to him. They carefully placed the flower crown on his hard hat, and he peered into their reflective goggles to see their creation.

“Aw,” he cooed, pulling them into a hug, “ain't you just the sweetest!”

Pyro giggled, nuzzling into his chest before motioning for a piece of paper. He tore a blank piece from his notebook and passed it to them; they took it and promptly pulled a box of crayons from their pocket. He wasn’t surprised. They turned away from him, hiding the paper as they drew. He whistled as he worked on his own art.

“Hudda!” they exclaimed after a while, holding the paper up. It was a colorful but slightly crude drawing of the both of them holding hands, complete with hearts, flowers, and rainbows. He grinned, taking it from them and gently setting it down on the table before nearly crushing them in a bear hug, laughing raucously as they squeezed back.

“Oh, man,” he wheezed, reaching under his goggles to wipe the tears from his eyes. “Thank you, darlin’, that was really cute. Can I keep it?”

Caught up on the pet name, though they had heard it a few times before, they took a second before nodding. He beamed and placed it in his folder, and their heart nearly thudded loud enough to hear when they saw something familiar: a daisy, pressed and laminated into a bookmark. The same daisy they’d given him at the barbeque all those months ago.

“Huh hudda,” they murmured in disbelief. _You kept it._ Engineer tilted his head.

“Kept what?”

They flapped their hands excitedly. “Mm mmmph!” _The flower!_

“Oh, this?” He pulled out the bookmark, the daisy perfectly preserved. He must’ve made it the morning after he got it. “I keep all the flowers you give me!”

Their eyes widened, but their mask remained blank as always. “Hudda?” _Really?_

“Yes, really!” Engie grinned, producing a small journal from his pocket. He handed it to Pyro, who flipped through it in awe. There were dozens upon dozens of pressed flowers, with the occasional note beside one. They were mostly dates, but then there were hearts doodled next to rose petals, stars twinkling above tulips, lyrics bending around the stems of lilies.

_For it’s true, you are my destiny…_

_When you hold my hand…_

They decided to test their luck.

“Hudda..” _Do you.._ They cleared their throat, getting out the question before they could change their mind. “Hudda huh mmhm mmph mphmph?” _Do you call anyone else darling?_

Engie paused for a moment. “No. You bein’ one of them, I’ve only used it for two people my whole life.” He chuckled, “And boy, am I old.”

“Mm hudda mmph pmmhm?” _Who was the first person?_ Engie nearly frowned, turning back to his paper and fidgeting with his pencil.

“Well,” he sighed, “a long time ago, I was in love. Head over heels. Thankfully, she felt the same, and I swore on everythin’ I would marry her.” He rubbed his temple, and Pyro mumbled in concern.

“Hudda hm hudda hmhmm hmmph hudda mmphmph.” _You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to._

“No, no, it’s fine.” He took a deep breath. “I’d do anything for that woman. And I did. I did some.. shady things to get the money for an engagement ring; a real expensive one, perfectly custom fit and a look I knew she’d love. And she did. That is, until she found out how I was able to buy it. She gave it back, then she just.. up and left me.”

“..Hudda huh mm?” _What did you do?_

“Long story short, I smuggled drugs across the border.” Pyro let out an audible gasp, and Engineer chuckled in return. “I know, I know, I don’t seem like the type of person to do that. But you do crazy shit when you’re in love, I guess. I’m not proud of it, and losin’ her certainly taught me a lesson. A hard one, at that.”

Pyro leaned against his shoulder. “Hmm huh hudda huh?” _How’d you get over her?_

“I’m.. not sure,” he shrugged, “It just takes a lot of time, I guess. We dated for years. I really thought she was the one, so when she left… It really took a lot out of me. I don’t even think of her much anymore and can talk about it calmly now, but back then, I spent days in bed cryin’ and breakin’ down about the whole situation. I only left the house to go to work, but I ended up gettin’ fired for my underperformance. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and I wasn’t any closer to gettin’ over her. Then one day—” He let out an unexpected giggle. “My _mama_ practically breaks down my door, tellin’ me to go to therapy. I refused at first, but I thought: hell, do I really wanna keep livin’ like this? So I went, and it took a few months, but I finally _wanted_ to get out of the house again. I woke up bright and early one mornin’, while it was still dark, and just sat in my backyard to watch the sunrise. It was the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”

“Hudda huh mmph?” _What was the first?_

A cheesy grin spread across his face. “You.”

They giggled, playfully pushing him and getting put in an affectionate headlock in return. They patted his arm for mercy, and he released them, but still kept an arm around their shoulder.

“So yeah, that’s my story. Found another job not long after that, and after another year I even tried to get back into the dating scene.” He chuckled, “Didn’t work out too well, but I was fine.”

They picked at the skin under their gloves. “Mm mph huh hudda mmphmm huh. Mm hudda mmphm hm.” _It’s nice to learn more about you. I’m glad you’re okay now._ Engineer gave them a warm smile, and they shyly looked down, mumbling to themself even more incoherently than usual.

“You alright, doll?”

They glanced around a bit, still scratching at their wrist. Leg bouncing nervously, they scooted away from him, but took his hand in theirs. They found comfort in squeezing it, then took a deep breath and looked up at him. When they spoke, the sentence was loud and as clear as it could be:

_I wanna show you something._


	8. Chapter 8

Gorgeous.

They were downright gorgeous.

Engineer had been led back to Pyro’s room and watched, almost in disbelief, as they reached up and pulled their mask off.

Dark freckles speckled their golden brown skin like dozens of stars; he wanted to reach out and trace the constellations. Burns and scars stretched across their face, particularly the left side. Their deep brown eyes widened and sparkled as his thumb brushed against their leathery jaw. Their hair was nearly shoulder length, black and curly, singed a bit on the ends. He tucked it behind their ear, brushing strands from their slender hooked nose. His hand lingered on their cheek and they blushed, putting their own hand over his and grinning to reveal an adorable underbite.

“You’re…” Engineer struggled to find a single word that captured their charm entirely. “Breathtaking.”

They giggled softly, pressing their forehead to his. “You don’t look half bad yourself.” Their voice was his new favorite song; soft and gravelly, and beautifully theirs.

“..Hey!”

They erupted into a fit of intoxicating laughter. “Just kidding!” Pulling Engineer towards their bed, they both kicked off their boots before flopping down onto the soft blankets. Pyro snuggled up to his chest, and he wrapped an arm around them.

“Y’know,” they murmured into his shirt, “I’m no stranger to emotional baggage. There’s something else I wanna show you.”

Engineer watched as they peeled off their gloves and rolled up their sleeves, revealing wrists covered in dozens of self-inflicted scars and burns.

“I’m okay,” they assured him before he could fret too much, but he had already pulled them into a tight hug. “I haven’t.. cut in a long time. I still pick at them sometimes, though. Bad habit.”

“Why?” was all Engineer asked, still holding them close.

“..I don’t know,” they mumbled, but they did. They were just holding off on saying it. “I guess I just.. felt like I deserved pain.”

“ _Why?_ ”

They fiddled with their suit, going to pick at their wrist but stopping themself. “I felt.. worthless. I was an abusive relationship. I wasn’t physically trapped in it, but he manipulated me to the point where I couldn’t dream of leaving.” Their lips wobbled. “I loved him. I really did. I thought he loved me, too. I thought he could change, that we could both be happy. But they never do, huh?” They wiped their eyes before nuzzling into Engineer’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Py.” He rubbed their back, resting his chin on top of their head. “I’m here for you, y’know. I care about you a lot, darlin’.”

“Thank you, Engie. I care about you a lot, too.”

It was so strange to finally see the face under the mask, and to hear their voice unobstructed. It was different. A _lot_ different. As they looked up at him, he could see the way their pupils dilated, and how a fond smile tugged at their lips. They were perfect.

“Py?”

“Hm?”

Pyro chirred as Engineer sat up, bringing them with him.

“Pyro…” He shuffled to sit across from them, holding their hands in his. “Since we’re talkin’ about this stuff, I’ve been meanin’ to tell you..” Their eyes widened, and he laced their fingers together. “You’re a real special person to me and I.. I love you.”

They weren’t sure they had heard him right. He repeated it, pressing his forehead to theirs.

“I love you, Pyro.”

“..Holy shit.”

They pulled back, hands on his shoulders, looking into his eyes.

“You’re serious?”

“Of course!” He chuckled, cupping their face in his hands. “I’m.. in love with you, Pyro.”

They exploded into overjoyed laughter, tears streaming from their eyes as they wrapped their arms around Engie and held onto him for dear life.

“Thank God.”

They stayed like that for a while, Pyro comfortably snuggled into his chest while he stroked their hair. It was the softest thing he’d ever felt. He wrapped a strand around his finger as they gazed up at him, a warm look in their eyes.

“I’m in love with you too.. Dell.” They smiled, tracing their finger along the buttons of Engie’s overalls. “Angel.”

“What?”

“My name is Angel.”

He grinned, pushing their hair back and pressing a soft kiss to their forehead. “It’s perfect. I love you, Angel.”

Pyro sat up, head slightly tilted, gazing into Engie’s eyes. They took his hand in theirs, rubbing their thumb over his skin. They had the gentlest touch he had ever felt; one that only someone like them could have. Someone with a heart so pure that they couldn’t dream of hurting anyone (off the battlefield, of course), even if they’d been hurt themself. Even if he didn’t know the full extent of what Pyro had been through, he could tell they knew pain all too well. They’d been kicked when they were down a thousand times too many, and he swore he’d lift them up and protect them, never letting them feel suffering again.

They said no words, for their expression said it all. Their eyelids fluttered, then closed. Lips parted, they leaned forward, and Engineer followed suit. The radio hummed as their lips tenderly met and they shared their first kiss.

_I understand the magic that you do…_

_You’re my dream come true..._

Breathless, they reluctantly pulled away. Pyro couldn’t help but crack a smile, lovingly touching their foreheads together.

“Everything I’ve been through was worth it to be in this moment.” They pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too, darlin’.” He closed his eyes, humming softly in content. “So much.”

“I love you!” they repeated, pressing another kiss to his cheek. And his nose. And his forehead. Anywhere they could reach. They both fell back into the sheets, Engineer laughing as he was assaulted with smooches. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” They sighed, ceasing the attack and resting on top of him. “God, that feels so good to finally say. I love you.”

Sitting up, they kicked off the rest of their suit before settling back down. Their skin was so warm, as if there was a fire underneath threatening to burst out. He traced his fingers along their curves, feeling every bump and scar, everything that made them _them,_ the person he adored. They shivered under his touch, nestling into the crook of his neck.

“So,” they murmured, “are we like.. official?”

“..Do you wanna be?”

Pyro nearly cackled. “Of course I do!”

Engineer could barely stifle a laugh as well, rubbing circles in their back. “Just makin’ sure. I guess we are, then.” He could feel them smile, adorable and infectious.

“I love you,” they said again. They would never get tired of it. Neither would he.

“I love you too.”

Resting his hand on their back, he took comfort in feeling the continuous rise and fall of their breathing. He could live in this moment forever, and he didn’t doubt that they could too. Worry free, unbothered, and free of responsibilities. It was just them, the sound of their breathing, and the gentle buzz of the radio. Nothing else mattered. It was everything he’d hoped for.

A soft snore sounded from the firebug after a while. Engineer couldn’t blame them; his eyelids felt heavy as well. With a yawn, he got comfortable, careful not to wake the other. Planting a kiss to their forehead, he beamed at the subconscious smile that resulted. He hoped he made their sweet dreams even sweeter.

Though his mind was racing and rewinding through the events of that afternoon, he felt a sense of calmness he hadn’t known for years. The seeds of love he planted long ago were finally in bloom, and they couldn’t be more beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh geez just one more chapter left..!!!
> 
> btw here is a rough doodle of my particular pyro headcanon in this fic.. hehe:  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479684283254964229/522914353624645638/1544742876453.png
> 
> update 7.11.19: heres a more recent drawing:  
> https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/543444575734202369/599032136061812771/1558411515344.png?width=439&height=443
> 
> btw plz comment i love reading them


	9. Chapter 9

The transition from friends to lovers was smooth and natural, as if it had always been meant to be. Things sort of seamlessly clicked into place like a puzzle. They learned even more about each other as the days went on, exchanging secrets as well as kisses. As the sun fell and the moon rose night after night, they would always be nestled in each other’s arms. Snug as a bug in a rug.

It had been about two weeks, and they finally had enough time off to go on an official date.

Engineer, clad in his best dress shirt and trousers, led Pyro out to his truck. They were wearing a long, flowing but concealing dress along with their mask. No matter how gorgeous Engie insisted their face was, they weren’t quite ready to show the rest of the world yet. Once they were both settled in the car, however, Pyro pulled their mask off with a small _pop._ Curly locks fell just below their ears, a bit choppy on the ends but no longer singed. Engie raised an eyebrow.

“Whoah.”

“I’ve been meaning to cut it for a while,” they explained, twirling a strand around their finger. “I never got around to it since no one else ever had to see it. But, hey, since I’ve got you, now’s as good a time as any.”

He grinned, reaching over to tuck the hair behind their ear and press a loving kiss to their cheek.

“I love it. It suits you, doll.”

They hit the road. Singing along loudly to the cheesy songs on the radio, it was all the two of them could’ve ever wanted. The wind whipped Engie’s skin and Pyro’s hair as they wizzed down to the city, providing heavenly relief from the summer heat.

When they arrived in Teufort, Pyro pulled their mask back on. Engie, gentleman that he was, graciously offered them a hand and helped them out of the car. Arm in arm, they strolled over to the main point of interest: the ice cream parlor. Once inside, Engineer ordered a strawberry shake for his partner and a butterscotch sundae for himself. They settled in a booth next to the window and watched the bustle outside as they enjoyed their treats.

“What do you reckon you’ll do after this?” Engie asked. “After our jobs, I mean.”

Pyro stared down at their shake, fiddling with the straw. “Hmm.. Mm huddah. Hudda mmphm, hm hudda mm mmph huh.” _Hmm.. I don’t know. Whatever I do, I wanna be with you._

He grinned, taking Pyro’s hand in his. He laced their fingers together, and though they were wearing their mask, he gazed beyond that. The taste of butterscotch mixed with strawberry was still on his tongue, and in his stomach, butterflies were bursting from their cocoons. The other customers chattered over the low buzz of music coming from the store’s speakers.

“Same here.”

Finishing up, they continued their walk around town. Upon seeing a petting zoo, Pyro squealed in delight and rushed over to it. They cooed over the goats and sheep, taking off a glove to run their hand over the soft wool. Children and parents stared in confusion, and perhaps the slightest bit of horror. The animals didn’t seem to mind, though. Engineer watched fondly as his partner gently hugged the animals, and hell, he even touched and fed a few of them as well.

After Pyro got their love in, the two of them explored the various activities around town. It was refreshing to be outside of the base, away from all the chaos and seven other men that were off the rails. They spent the day holding hands, finding fun in everything and indulging in things they didn’t often have the chance to. Roller skating, a drive-in movie, even a local concert. At one point, Pyro led him to the nearby woods and showed him how to make a fire without a lighter. The flames danced and crackled as they held each other, giggling and whispering about things no one else would ever hear. The sun started to droop in the sky, so they headed back to the truck and drove down to the beach.

No one else was there; this was their safe haven. Pyro pulled off their mask and gloves as they sat down, feeling the cooling sand under their fingers. The sun was barely grazing the horizon by this point, beautiful orange and pink ribbons spreading across the sky and meeting the dark, hazy blue above them. Engineer wrapped an arm around their shoulder, and they leaned into the embrace. They watched as the sun dipped lower and its golden reflection bloomed across the water.

“I wanna spend the rest of my life like this,” Pyro murmured quietly, as if not to disturb the setting star.

Engineer ran a hand through their hair. They smelled like a freshly blown out vanilla candle, strong but sweet. “Then let’s do it.”

The sky began to darken as the sun reached its halfway point. The clouds’ soft orange glow became more intense as the sunset did as well. The colorful pastel hues brightened into a passionate blaze of reds, yellows, and purples. It was like the most beautiful fire that Pyro had ever seen.

They shared a tender kiss, stars twinkling in their eyes before going to light up the whole sky. Waves crashed together while a bird sang in the distance. It was completely tranquil. A gentle breeze washed over the beach, but they weren’t cold. Not for a second.

Holding Pyro in his arms, Engineer softly sang a familiar tune.

_My one and only you…_

_One and only you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i almost didnt wanna end this.. :'( it feels bittersweet to be done..  
> anyway... thank u to everyone who stuck with me through this adventure!!! all of ur kudos and kind words pushed me forward..!  
> this was my first Long multichapter fic ive ever done.. and boy was it fun!! ill probably do more in the future.. so stay tuned :D  
> ttyl... i love u all... i hope u enjoyed this tale


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